Pen-shaped pocket flashlight



1951 J. NATHAN ETAL PEN-SHAPED POCKET FLASHLIGHT Filed Jan. 21, 1950 1N!'ENTORS JEROME NATHAN BYRl'CHARD W. A DLER ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 9,1951 PEN-SHAPED POCKET FLASHLIGHT Jerome Nathan and Richard W. Adler,New York, N. Y., assignors to Bantam-Lite, Inc., New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application January 21, 1950, Serial No. 139,882

3 Claims.

This invention relates to flashlight construction, and more particularlyis directed to a socalled pen or pencil-shaped flashlight, such ascarried when not in use, in the pocket or handbag.

Among the objects of the invention is to generally improve flashlightconstructions of the character described which shall comprise few andsimple parts, which are readily assembled of easily manufactured parts,which shall be relatively cheap to produce in quantity production yetneat and attractive in appearance, which shall form a reliable anddependable pocket-size lighting means capable of withstanding rough andhard usage, which shall be convenient to handle and operate, and whichshall be efiicient and practical to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements, arrangement of parts which will be exemplifiedin the construction hereinafter described and of which the scope ofapplication will be indicated in the claims following.

In the accompanying drawing in which one illustrative embodiment of theinvention is shown.

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a so-called pen-shaped pocketflashlight construction embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plane or head end view of the improved flashlightconstruction shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 33 in Fig. 1showing the interior construction of the improved flashlight, with theswitch thereof in an off-circuit position.

Fig. 4 is a greatly enlarged detailed cross-secv tional View taken online 4-4 in Fig. 3, and

showing the switch in an on-circuit position in dot and dash lines.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of'the head end capof the improved flashlight construction shown in Fig. 1, partly brokenaway to expose the switch ring assembly structure.

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the extreme head end cap memberwith the extension portion thereof and the camming ring disassembledtherefrom, the current carrying flexible jumper being shown secured in anormal offcircuit position, and the peripheral flange unbent beforeassembly shown in full lines and bent into assembly position 'in dot anddash lines, and

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the camming ring for finger operation ofthe flashlight switch removed from the assembly.

Referring in detail to the drawing, I0 denotes a so-called pen pocketflashlight constructed to embody the invention such as carried in apocket or handbag ready for use from a releasably mounted position likeconventional pens or pencils by means of a suitable clamping attachmentclip I I in the well understood manner.

Said flashlight I0 may comprise a suitable outer battery casing I2, andas here shown being formed of a one-piece tubular metal having a closedend IZa for housing a standard electric battery, such as two seriesarranged dry cells I3 and I4, each cell being insulated from the casingI2 by a paper or fibre wrapper I5.

Open end I2b of casing I2 opposite said closed end In through which drycells I3 and I4 are inserted and normally has carbon center contact I 3aof cell I3 extending beyond said open end IZb which may be provided witha suitable coupling means, such as spun or drawn screw threads I20extending inward from said open end [21), forming a seat and anchoragefor a head end cap I6. The latter may carry a standard miniatureincandescent lamp Il extending therethrough with bulb Ila thereofexposed to project light beams through top central opening I6a of headend cap I6, and base Ilb of lamp I'I extending in axial alignment withbattery cell I3, said lamp base I'Ib being retained by an insulatingannulus 20 mounted in an extension end I6b of head end cap IS so thatcenter contact lie of the lamp I1 is positioned to connect in circuitwith battery carbon center contact 53a as shown in Fig. 3.

Said flashlight head end cap I6 may be made of spun or drawn sheet metaland when formed as a multi-part structure for economy of manufacturehere shown, has a dome shaped portion IGc which is provided with saidcentral opening ISa therein and which is interconnected with saidextension end I612. The latter forms a collar portion having spun ordrawn screw threads Ifid extending to provide with said casing screwthreads I20 companion coupling means, as is clear from Figs. 3 and 5.

For interconnecting dome portion I and extension collar I6b there may beprovided an integrally formed inturned peripheral shoulder Hie spacedfrom an outturned locking peripherally extending edge flange I6) of domeportion I60, extension collar I'Sb also having an inturned peripheralextending shoulder IBg for mating peripheral edge portion IBh thereofwith an intermediate portion I67 of dome portion I6c extending betweensaid shoulder lGe and flange if to provide a rigid lap joint as saidinterconnection.

As seen from Figs. 3 and 4, the outer surface of extension collar edgeportion [6h extending between said dome shoulder 16c and collar shoulder16g of said assembled lap joint interconnection provides a circularsunken slideway in which a finger turning camming ring l8a.rides foroperating flashlight switch [8. Inner surface lBk of collar portion l6?)between said flange Hi and threaded portion Hid, adjacent said lap jointinter-connection firmly secures insulating annulus 2G, in the assembly,dome collar outturned flange 16f serving as an abutment seat for saidannulus 20. The thickness of the latter may be made such as to extendsaid annulus 20 to just short of rim edge of casing open end I2b so thatcenter contact lic of lamp base l'lb projecting therebeyond forcontacting in the assembly with said battery cell contact l3a, as shownin Fig. 3.

Inner peripheral side 20a. of insulating annulus 29 may be provided withuniformly spaced apart ledges 20b to form frictional engaging supportingmeans for outer surface lld of lamp base Ha which, as shown in Figs. 3and 4, serves as a base screw shell contact for the lamp I! in the wellunderstood manner.

As is clear from Figs. 3, 4 and 6 said edge portion lBh of extensioncollar [6b and underlying intermediate portion I67 of dome [60 may bepartially cut away or slotted in registered alignment as denotedgenerally at lSm to accommodate free movement of elongated currentcarrying flexible spring jumper l8b which may be an- 1 chored inposition at one end thereof by rivet I Be. The other portion or free endid of said jumper I8?) is positioned to swing beyond said slot lBm, saidfree end 13d being flexed from a normal off-circuit position toon-circuit position, shown in Fig. 4, in full and dot and dash lines,respectively, in the manner hereinafter described and provide a rubbing,that is, a self cleaning contact with the aligning lamp base outersurface Ild.

Switch camming ring 18a which may be mounted for limited rotation insaid sunken slideway as described above and shown in Figs. 1 to 5, hasthe outer peripheral surface We ribbed or knurled part way therearoundto provide finger gripping means, the remaining part l8f, which in theassembly rotates between the clip H and dome portion [60 may beimprinted to carry on and off circuit marking l8g.

Extending inwardly from inner circular surface l8h of camming ring |8aand into slot l6m there may be provided a projection or protubrance I87carried or formed integrally with said ring Ilia which on the rotationthereof along a path of the length of said slot l6m from a position justbeyond jumper free end 18d, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4, leavingthe jumper 18b in a normally off-circuit position, to a position flexingsaid jumper l8b with projection I87 bearing thereagainst to force saidend l8d thereof to close the circuit at outer lamp base surface H11 inon-circuit position as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 4. Areleasable locking nub I810 may be provided on a midportion of jumperI81) for engaging with said projection I87" to retain said switch I8 inon-circuit position against accidental displacement.

The practical operation of the invention will now be apparent. With headend cap l6 positioned in the complete assembly as described above andshown in the drawing, and with a suitable helical pressure spring 19mounted in the casing closing end |2a bearing on zinc terminal Ma of drycell 14 as shown in Fig. 3, the lamp i1 is retained in proper assembledposition by lamp base ill) in frictional secured engagement withinsulating annulus ledges 20a. Now, finger manipulating switch l8 byturning switch camming ring I8a fully in a counterclockwise direction asshown in Figs. 1 to 4., projection I8 thereof extending through slot Himis moved beyond jumper free end IM and said jumper I8a springs into anormal off circuit position with said jumper end 18d spaced from lampbase llb, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4.

To switch the jumper I80, into an effective on circuit position, thecamming ring la is finger manipulated for rotating as far as it can bereadily turned clockwise to a position corresponding to that indicatedin dot and dash lines moved in Fig. 4, preferably until projection movedpassed nub I87c.

During said latter rotation jumper l8a, is subjected to camming actionby projection I87 for flexing free end IBd thereof to and away frommaking a wiping contact on lamp base surface Ild. Should the switchcamming ring l8a, be turned a less distance than is necessary to obtaina stabilized position to retain the circuit closed, jumper l8a, adjacentthe free end thereof, may be made effective by providing a slopingsurface as at 18112, to give switch 18 a tendency to force the latter inoff circuit position as is clear from Fig. 4.

To open circuit switch l8 after the latter has been closed camming ringlBa is simply rotated counterclockwise to the position first described.

Clip ll may be of a U-shaped cross section formed with a clamping freeend i la and a suitable anchored end I lb opposite said free end I la,said anchored end Hb being firmly fastened to dome portion 160. Saidclip II is so designed, arranged and positioned as not to interfere withthe finger manipulation of switch camming ring [8a, and also permitsready ascertaining the switch position through observance of saidmarking [8g with relation to clip II.

It should be noted that flashlight H] is not only constructed of verysimple parts, but also lends itself to form a neat and attractivepersonal article ready and convenient for use.

It will thus be seen that there is provided an improved pocketflashlight construction in which the several objects of the inventionare achieved and which are well adapted to meet the conditions ofpractical use.

As various possible embodiments of the invention may be made in theabove invention and as various changes may be made in the embodimentabove set forth, it is to be understood that all matters herein setforth and shown in the accompanying drawing are to be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having-thus described our invention we claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. In a flashlight head end cap construction, a metallic dome portioninterconnected to a metallic collar extension having means for mountingon an open end of a battery casing, said dome por-. tion having aninturned shouldered midsection and an outturned edge flange, said collarextension having a rimedge portion fitted to extend said flange, aninturned shoulder provided on a midportion of said collar extensionpositioned to extend over said flange for firmly interlocking said domeportion to said collar extension at the interconnection therebetween andto form a sunken slideway for a finger manipulating switching ring toride in, said slideway having an elongated slot wherethrough electricalcircuit switch means extend on rotation by said ring, the portion ofsaid collar extension between said mounting means and said inturnedshoulder serving as a seat for a insulating lamp base supporting means.

2. In a flashlight construction having a metallic tubular casing formedwith a top opening for housing a dry cell battery, a metallic head endcap formed with an extension collar fitting portion for demountablysecuring on said casing open end, said cap having an elongated slotextending through said fitting portion, an incandescent lamp positionedwithin said cap with a base of said lamp aligning with said slot, aspring cur rent conducting jumper having one end swingably secured froma rim end of said slot, a free end of said jumper being bent to slopetoward said lamp base, an insulating annulus secured within said capbeyond a path of swinging movement of said jumper for removablyretaining the lamp base in a desired alignment, a switching ringencircling said cap mounted for rotation thereon and provided with anintegral protuberance extending into said slot for flexing said jumperto electrically contact the said free end thereof against the lamp baseon rotation of said ring from an ofi to an on switching position, saidcap and fitting portion formed with a sunken slideway in which theencircling ring rides and wherein said elongated slot lies, a clipanchored to said cap over the path of movement of said rotation, andfinger gripping means formed as a portion of a peripheral side of saidring with another portion of said peripheral ring side positioned totravel under said clip on rotation of said ring for limiting saidmovement of ring rotation to said ofi and on" switching positions.

3. In a flashlight construction, a metallic tubular battery casingformed with top open and closed bottom ends, a metallic head end closurecap mounted on said casing open end having an elongated peripherallyextending slot adjacent said casing open end, an incandescent lampextending through said cap with a base of said lamp aligning with saidslot, a spring current conducting jumper having one end secured to a rimend of said slot, a free end of said jumper being bent to slope towardsaid lamp base, an insulating annulus retained by said cap inwardly ofsaid slot for mounting the lamp base in alignment with a battery cellterminal housed in said casing, a switch ring encircling said capmounted for limited rotation to extend over said slot and jumper, and acamming projection carried by said ring to extend into said slot forflexing said jumper free end to electrically contact said lamp base onrotation of said ring from an off to an on circuit switching position, aclip anchored to said cap to extend over the switch ring, and fingergripping means formed on portion of a peripheral side of said ring,another portion of said peripheral ring side extending to travel underthe clip on the rotation of the ring being provided with markingindicating said oil and on" circuit switching positions.

JEROME NATHAN. RICHARD W. ADLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,144,201 Hipwell June 22, 19152,020,352 Bolduc Nov. 12, 1935 2,226,353 Wood Dec. 24, 1940 2,312,305Berlinger Mar. 2, 1943 2,461,118 Lippincott Feb. 8, 1949 2,491.686Nathan et al Dec. 20, 1949

